The AT&T Logo

AT&T was actually founded by the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell himself, in 1876. Over time this company has become a house-hold name with thousands of locations and millions of workers throughout the global market. While AT&T has stayed true to their original focus of telephones they have also branched out into other markets such as high-speed internet and digital television.

An important part of any company logo is brand recognition, and the logo of AT&T is known throughout the world. For anyone seeking the newest technology, either smartphones or digital television, they are sure to see the AT&T logo flashing merrily before them. Any company that seeks to brand themselves with as much success as AT&T should pay attention to how AT&T simple logo has become such a well-known icon.

Logo#1-The Bell

AT&T is no stranger to name-dropping so their earlier designs included a bell as a nod to their famous creator, Alexander Graham Bell. The bell was painted a pleasing shade of blue to represent the future that AT&T strived to work toward. This logo attained an incredible recognition rate within the United States and was unchanged for years.

Logo#2-The Globe

In 1984, after the company was broken up into several different companies by the U.S. government, AT&T found itself needing a new logo. The company wanted a logo that would symbolize the company’s global reach. To that end they created the well-known globe logo of AT&T. The globe (also known as the “death star” to their employees) served to symbolize their global connectivity and dedication to reach as many customers as possible. The globe also has subtle white lines at the location of North America, suggesting that location as the base for an increasingly wired world. The designers also borrowed the pleasing blue color from the former Bell logo so as to connect the old to the new. This logo has attained huge recognition throughout the world and the third, and current, logo borrowed heavily from it.

The Current Logo

When SBC and AT&T reunited after being split up by the U.S. government, both companies decided to stick with the AT&T name and stick with the globe logo due to its huge brand recognition. However, in order to symbolize the creation of the new company, AT&T decided to

spruce up their logo a bit. The designers made the logo transparent so as to “represent clarity and vision.” In much the same vein, “The new globe is three-dimensional, representing the expanding breadth and depth of services that the new AT&T family of companies provides to customers, as well as its global presence.”

Why the AT&T Logo Works

It’s hard to imagine a logo that has as much recognition as the AT&T globe. People from around the world can recognize it and the company it represents, which is a huge achievement for AT&T. The symbolism of the famous globe is simple and easy to understand and transcends any language or cultural barriers. The AT&T company has its roots in the very beginning of the telephone industry and their brand has adapted to meet the needs of this ever-growing company.